Camp's 3rd Birthday

Happy 3rd Birthday, Camp!!!

Whew. What a three years it has been! This boy is as rotten as they come. One minute I feel like I could just wear his little bottom out and the next minute all I want to do is hug and squeeze him up. I mean really, just look at that face!

The day before his birthday we realized we didn't have him a birthday shirt so thankfully we had an extra undershirt and fabric around the house so that we could whip him something up! I think it turned out just right for him! : )

We have been super busy lately and with little Dawson coming anytime we decided not to plan a birthday party this year but to just celebrate with his friends in his classroom at school.

His teachers made him this cute birthday sign to welcome him that morning!

Funny story: I called the day before his birthday to order his donuts for his party from the same sweet lady that I always order them from. She knew exactly who I was when I called and said she would take care of them for me and have them ready first thing the next morning. I normally just get them with plain glaze, no icing, but colorful sprinkles and cut in half so it's easier for the kids to eat. When I arrived the next morning she was so excited about the donuts. She thought it would be extra special to decorate them in pink and purple sprinkles for my little girls birthday. Opps! She just assumed they were for Emma Claire's birthday and not Camp's. Of course I didn't have the heart to tell her because she was so excited about them so we just went with it. Camp didn't have a clue and neither did his friends. We celebrated in pink and purple style!!!

I have a feeling he'll not be happy with me one day over this but for now he doesn't have a clue!

His friends were so sweet! Click Here to watch of video of them singing Happy Birthday.

Mommy and her Birthday Boy!!!

After nap time we loaded up the kids and took them to do something extra special for his big day!

Pizza and Chuck E. Cheese. 

I still can't believe we braved this. Me, being 9 months preggo and Benjamin, the biggest germophobe I know. This was a big deal.

Just look at Camp's face! He loved the show they put on but only from a distance. He is still afraid of anything in a costume.  

I have to brag on my girl for a minute. The first game she headed to was the basketball shoot. She KILLED it. The first one she threw in was nothing but net and there were many more after. Maybe we will have a little athlete on our hands! Love it!

For his size Camp did very well, too! He just had a harder time getting it all the way there.

We played tons and tons of games and we had a great time just being the 4 of us!

You know Daddy got in a little game time, too!

After 125 tokens = 125 games we landed 337 tickets. Then it was on to the hardest decision of the night. What to get?! Let's just say I was expecting them to be able to get something very good with all those tickets.

Camp got sunglasses, a frog, and a slinkie.

Emma Claire got sunglasses, a ring, and a slinkie.

Next we headed to the house to open Camp's gifts that his grandparents had sent. Thanks to Skype they were able to watch him open his presents.

From Poppa and GG he got an Alabama football and uniform complete with a jersey, shoulder pads, pants, and a helmet.

I think he'll make a pretty cute football player one day!!! Thanks, Poppa and GG, for the gifts!

From RaRa and PePaw he got this cute teddy bear and balloons in the mail and a new bike!

These are one of those new glider bikes that teach kids to ride a bike without training wheels. You peddle with your feet flintstone style and then put your feet on the pegs and glide teaching you balance. It's a pretty sweet deal. I saw a kid that was about 2 whipping in and out of big kids on one of these things. Hopefully we'll have some videos up soon of him riding it.

Thank you, RaRa and PePaw, for my new bike and bear!!!

Here's a picture of what we had gotten Camp a couple of weeks ago for his birthday. We had a friend getting rid of this awesome table that had all the tracks nailed or glued down to stay in place. Loved that. I knew he would love a train table but I did. not. want all those pieces all over my house to clean up continually. We bought this from her and then got him several trains to go with it. So far it's been a great gift!

We love you little man and are so proud of you! Happy 3rd Birthday!

P.S. Could you please let your next birthday come slower? You're growing way to fast!

Am I Really 29?

Unfortunately, this year on my birthday Benjamin had to be out of town but that doesn't mean we didn't celebrate! : ) We got this yummy treat in the mail from RaRa that was just devine. Benjamin and Ethan were both gone for the weekend so this yummy cake was just for me and the kids!

For dinner we also ran and I got one of my favorites! Chinese. Look at all this food we scored for only $14!

We also picked up a couple Red Box movies to enjoy.

Who wouldn't want to celebrate their birthday with these two cool cats?!

I even got flowers and a balloon in the mail from RaRa and PePaw!

Besides the fact that I turned 29 I had a wonderful birthday! I spent my Saturday cleaning my house from top to bottom. My absolute favorite part of pregnancy is nesting!

I also got several cards from family with money in them and a gift from Benjamin. Stay tuned to find out what my BIG birthday present was!!!!

Anyone have a couch I can sleep on now?

9 months prego... ;)

Grateful,
BQ2

Sent from my iPhone

No Training Wheels

Check out who's learning to ride their bike withOUT training wheels! This is only day two of giving it a try. We are SO proud of her! Hopefully I'll get some pics soon.

Video 1, She was so proud of herself. She is doing GREAT!
Video 2, Camp wanted his time in the spotlight, too!
Video 3, Don't worry, she is fine. Just a little scratch under her eye.
Video 4, Our first try on the concrete. We need a little more practice with that one!

Carpooling

We LOVE carpooling with friends!!!

We LOVE Package Days

We LOVE Package Days!!!!!

Can you believe that RaRa bought them all Alabama outfits?! They are ready for game day but I'm not sure what RaRa was thinking! Somebody might want to check her temp.

Camp with all his new loot!

Since Sissy was at school we put all her prizes back in the box to open when she got home.

Dawson got a few treats, too!

Mommy and Daddy weren't left out either. ; )

I think we've got one cute cheerleader!

Thanks, RaRa and PePaw, for all our goodies! We LOVE package days!!

Sausage, Egg and Biscuit Casserole

I found this recipe on Pinterest and wanted to make sure to post it here so I would always have it on hand. I stumbled across it looking for something to use up all our extra eggs and I'm so glad on did. It was DELISH!
It was perfect for breakfast and I will definitely be making this the next time we have company in the morning. I LOVE comfort food.

Sausage, Egg and Biscuit Casserole

(taken from http://jennymacslipsmack.blogspot.com)

1 lb. sausage or bacon (I used Jimmy Dean's Precooked Sausage Crumbles)
7 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
8 biscuits (canned, leftover homemade ones that are a bit stale, frozen, bakery, what you like best)
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 8x10 baking dish with nonstick spray. Brown sausage or cook bacon until brown/crispy. Transfer to paper towel to absorb excess grease.

In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cream, salt and pepper.

Split biscuits in half and layer bottoms in greased dish. Sprinkle sausage/bacon over biscuits and top with 3/4 cup of cheese. Cover with biscuits tops and pour egg mixture over top.

If you want to eat it NOW:
Bake for 30 minutes or until eggs are set (165 degrees) and no longer jiggly. Cover with cheese and cook for another 10 minutes. Let casserole stand for 10 minutes.

If you want to cook it LATER:
Cover with foil. Place and bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes until eggs are set. Uncover and place on 3/4 cup of cheese or until melted.

Kindergarten Review and Class Schedule

Emma Claire was so excited about her first day of Kindergarten. When we got home she grabbed her yellow folder out of her backpack, jumped on our bed, and couldn't wait to go through all of her papers from her first day. We went through each one talking about how great she did on her work and then we made a list of her Favorite and Least Favorite Things About Kindergarten. Here is her list:

Favorite Things About Kindergarten:

• Being chosen as the line leader for the week. 
• Being able to turn the lights on and off.
• Doing school work.
• Having Show-N-Tell.
• Eating a donut for lunch. (it was a friends birthday)
• Eating my lunch.
• Going to Discovery.
• Mrs. Ferrell taking her cup everywhere I got her. She took it home, to the beach, to the grocery store, and carries it all day at school!

Least Favorite Things About Kindergarten: 

*At first she asked me if it were bad that she didn't have anything that she didn't like about kindergarten. I told her absolutely not. If she enjoyed everything about kindergarten then that was great! Well, it took her a minute but she came up with 3 things.

• Doing Mrs. Streit's stretches. (I'm assuming they did some type of morning stretches)
• That you didn't get to play with all the toys. She said that there were lots of different toys in the room but she didn't get to play with them all because they had to work.
• That they didn't do a lot of arts and crafts.

I also wanted to include a copy of her class schedule so that you could see all of the fun things they do doing the day.

Mrs. Streit & Mrs. Ferrell
Kindergarten Daily Class Schedule:

• 9:30       Welcome, Class Begins
• 9:35       Pledges, Calender
• 9:40       Prayer and Bible Lesson (Chapel one day a week)
• 10:00     Phonics, Writing, Reading
• 10:45     Math
• 11:15     Social Studies
• 11:30     Lunch
• 12:25     Music/Discovery (Science) M,T,Th,F; Art on Wednesday
• 12:50     Playground
• 1:30       Dismissal

1st Day of School 2012-2013

Let's just say I've been teary eyed all week over my big girl starting kindergarten. It's not the fact that I'm sending her to school, but that this makes her BIG GIRL. She's is not suppose to be a big girl. She is suppose to stay little forever, right?! It's also hard for me to wrap my mind around her having to go EVERYDAY. I am only working 3 days a week so she has to go two days all by herself. I love having her with me and don't want her to have to go everyday but for this year we know this is the right thing to do for her. She on the other hand was beyond excited and ready to start her big day!

We started off our special morning by going to eat breakfast with Daddy at Emma Claire's favorite restaurant, The Border, where she devoured 3 pancakes and 3 pieces of sausage! Then we headed to school for our first day of school photo session. : )

Can you believe this big boy?! He is growing WAY to fast!

Our first stop was Camp's new class. Emma Claire quickly went in with him to help him get adjusted but he could have cared less that Daddy and I were waiting at the door. He yelled us a big 'good bye' and he was off to do his thing! : ) I'm so happy that he was so excited about starting his new class. I think any tears would have started the floodgates for me. ; 0

Next was our big girl! Let's just say I'm getting teary eyed looking at this picture. She just looks so big and I know how proud of her Benjamin and I are. She is about to walk into a room that will begin the next 12 years of her life. Such a huge step into the person she is going to become.

It didn't take her long to find exactly where she was to hang her backpack and find her spot at her desk. On the first day of school we were allowed to walk her to her classroom and help her get familiar to her new room. After that she is on her own. She is to walk in by herself and independently to begin her day.

Mrs. Streit is just wonderful. I can't say enough great things about her. She does so well with these kids and we are excited about Emma Claire's year in kindergarten. It is such a sweet, sweet class with some old friends and some new.

After I left her classroom I begin tearing up, but I wasn't able to wallow in it long because duty calls on the other end of the hallway. My office is only 3 doors down from both of them so I get to see these sweet faces all day long if I want! ; )

I snapped this picture at the end of their first day. What do you think they thought of their first day of school?

They both loved it! Emma Claire exclaimed, "I LOVE KINDERGARTEN!"

(We'll see if she still feels the same way in a couple of months! ; )

Tent Time

Some nights just call for a change in scenery. : )

Powerballs

Two of my friends, Rachael and Stephanie, have made these yummy powerballs several times and have raved about this healthy snack. This is the second time I have made them and let me just tell you that they are all they are worked up to be. They are yummy, filling, and best of all HEALTHY!

POWERBALLS

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup honey

3 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup milled flaxseed

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup dried fruit

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 cup mini chocolate chips

*I use crunchy peanut peanut instead of mixing in the chopped nuts. It saves me from buying another ingredient and mixing in another step.

1. Mix peanut butter and honey together until smooth.

2. Gradually add in oats, flaxseed, and wheat germ.

3. Add 1 cup mini chocolate chips and 1 cup any combination of nuts & dried fruit.

4. Mix gently with hands.

5. Roll into ping-pong sized balls, and place on a cookie sheet.

6. Refrigerate overnight. (You can also freeze on layered on wax paper in an airtight container.)

Good luck trying to keep everyone's fingers out of these until they are set! My kids think they are treats! What they don't know won't hurt them, right?!  : )